Chain-making machine



PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I il.. III

d i II M p v 'w f 64 A? 68 f I i 48 i l I/I/vE/vro WHA/8853 E Edf/afa fdILj/fe;

TTORNEYS E. J. LYTER.

cHAIN NIANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY II. 192|.

1,430,456, Patentedsept. 26,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w/T/vfssfs n/I/E Ion I y EdWddJL/ e7;

A TTORIVEYS maiala (Malwa- EL}.LYTER.

GHMN MAKING 'MACHLNL APPLICATION FILED HAY il, 1921.

4 SHEET S-SHEET 3.-

A TTOH/VE YS EQJ. LYTER.

CHAIN MAKING MACHlNE.

Pwtnd Sept. 26,1922.,

AFPLICATIO FILED MAY I1 192|.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Sept 215, i922.,

iras

ii gli? CHAIN-T/LAKENG VIACHINE.

Application filed May 11, 1921. Serial No. 468,531.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD (l. LYTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain- Making Machines, of which the following is a specication.

My present invention relates generally to chain making machines and devices and more particularly to a link forming and welding machine especially applicable to heavy chain where it is a major consideration that every link be accurately iinished in the same size and shape. The primary ebject o the invention is the provision of a machine by which partially formed links may be completed and welded so that all links will correspond in size, shape and appearance.

A further object is the elimination of hand work in the completion of the ilinks and the necessarily recurring inequalities resulting therefrom.

A still further object is the provision in a machine of this character of a link forining die so shaped and constructed as to provide for the effective cooperation of means rigidly holding a partially formed link so that it may be completed and welded in a quick effective manner.

Still other objects relating for the inost part to the details of construction proposed by my invention will be better understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the inachine,

rigure 2 is a iront elevation thereof,

rigures 3 and el are sectional top planl views respectively iilustrating the parts in the position at the beginning of operation and after the iirst bend of the link has been completed,

vFigure 5 is a similar view showing the parts in position after the second bend oi the link has been completed,

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the link forming die,

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the hammer carrying die, and

. Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the link bending` dies.

eferring nowA to these igures my invention contemplates a machine the frame 10 of which has a flat base 11v and an elevated horizontal table 12 the central front portion of the latter' of which iscutaway. This table has a slotted opening in the rear of its cutaway portion to receive the depending shank 13 of a forming die generallyl indicated at le and shown in detail in Figure 6. This die has an upper horizontal flat surface 15 forming an anvil and is provided with an upstanding crescent shaped rib 16 whose outer convex surface is shaped to correspond tol the inner contour of one end of a link to lbe formed andwhose inner concave surface is flush with the inner end of a recess 17 at the iront of the die leaving orward side projections 18 on which the sides ci the link are adapted to rest.

At opposite sides of its central forward cutaway portion, the table 12 has brackets 19 as shown particularly in Figure 2 -to which the upright members 2O of a pair of link engaging clamps yare pivoted at their lower ends as at 21. v'lllhese clamps which rock on the pivots-21 also have horizontal link clamping arms 22 projecting toward one another with their undersurfaces cutaway adjacent to their free ends to lit over one end of a link disposed on the forming. die le, thevsaid link clamping members being controlled by springs 23 carried by their upright arms 2O and engaging opposite sides of the termingdie 11iso that except when actuated the clamping members are `held away from the die as in the position shown in Figure 3.

At its outer side portions the table 12 also has upstanding brackets 24 supporting the fulcrunis 25 oiL a pair of actuating levers 26 whose inner free ends engage the uprights 2O of the link clamping members and whose outer ends are pivotally connected as at 27 to the upper ends of a U-sliaped actuating :traine whose lower cross bar 28 is disposed at the front of the machine and may be engaged and depressed by the operator against the tension of springs 29 iii order to shift levers 26 on their fulcrums 25 and torce their inner ends upwardly into engagement with the uprights 20 of the link clamping members in order to rock the latter into the active position shown in Figures 2, a and 5 against the tension orf springs 23. At the start oie. operations a partially formed link of ltl-shape as seen at il in Fig- 3, with its extremities scarted as at a. is placed in properly heated condition upon the forming die 1l with its said free ends projecting rearwardly beyond the cresent shaped rib 16 of the die and with its side portions resting 'uponfthe portions 18 orl the die at opposite sides of the iront recess 1T oli the die. 'llhus the partially torined link may be passed through a previously formed link .B the latter extending part'ally into the recess 1T ot the forming die ll. l,llhen the partially termed link ifi is thus placed as shown particularly in Figure at which time the link clamping meinbe s are in outer inactive positions, the operator places his iioot upon the cross bar 28 oi: the actuating iframe and depresses the latter so as to shiit the link clamping members in the manner previously described to the acH tive position shown in Figures 2.7 a and so that the horizontal arms 22 engage the formed end of the link il and not only press the latter iirmly down upon the upper sur- 'face of the forming die la but also prevent subsequent 'forward shitting ci the link.

it its rear side portions the table 'l2 has inclined tubular guides 30 'tor a pair or lengthwise shifting slianks 31 which move forwardly as they shi-lt toward one another. To the inner end of each ot these shanks is hingedly connected a bending die 32, t-ie hinged connection being shown at 33, and each oi which dies 32 has a portion oiits inner surface cutaway as at Bil in Figure 8 so as to receive in this cutout aortion one of the scarred extremities a o'li the link A being formed. The two bending` dies l2 successively shift toward the forming die 141- and into engagement with the link ends so that first one end a and then the other is bent laterali7 around a portion or' the conveX outer surface oi the rib 16 of the forniing die as seen by a comparison of lligures l and 5.

Referring particularly to Figure el it will be noted that the bending die 32 lirst coming into operation has its recessed Ytace 3l turned downwardly so that the end a of the link being formed which is tirst bent is pressed downwardly against the upper flat face 15 ot the 'forming die while the bend ing die 13 next coming into operation as seen in Figure 5 has its recessed 'face 3i turned upwardly so that the end a of the link next bent inwardly is 'forced into overlapping relation to the first bent end with a portion of its respective bending die 32 extending between the same and the first bent end e ci the link so as to avoid actual engagement between the link ends as they are overlapped7 and in this way avoid danger oit improper overlapping through accidental welding` olf the link ends during the overlapping operation.

Each olf the. bending dies 32 is pivotally connected adjacent to its 'liree end as at with the forward end et a control rod 36 shiftable at its rear end into and out of a tubular guide 37, the pair oi tubular guides 3'? being pivotally connectel to one another and pivotally nounted upon the uppend ot an upright stud 38 project* ing upwardly 'lroni the ie 10 rearwardly et the center oi' the table i2. Each control rod lo is threaded to receive an adjusting nut the latter positioned so as to engage the ilforward end oi the respective pivoted guide 37 and hold forward end of the respective bending die 32 in properly spaced relation to the rib 16 of the toi-ming die when the said bending die is at the inner limit ot its movement as will be plainly seen by a comparison et `lligures Lland 5.

.at their inner 'forward ends, the sliding Shanks 3l have upright studs ll0 projecting through lengthwise slots ell of the 'lorward ends oit a pair oi actuating levers l2 ifulcrunie'd at intermediate their ends upon upstanding rear side portions Llil ot the traine 10, the rear ends of these side levers being pii'otally connected by a link and disposed upon opposite sides and in elim/gement with the actuating cani l5 of an upright sli-.ait il? whose lower end is stepped in a bearing i8 or the base 11 oi the iframe. rlhis shalt has bearing below the cani in 'll-shaped rearwardly projecting bracket ot the irai* e 10 and is driven in any suitable manner with manual control as Yl'er instance belt connections with 'tast and piiilleys as commonly provided tor such purposes. rEhus when, after the partially iiornied link il is placed in the machine indicated in Figure 3 and clamped as previously describesa the operA ator by manipulating trie control of shalt l? can cause rotation. the latter so that in rotation of the cani the two bending ndies will be successively actuated to properly bend the scarled extremities a of the link into properly overlapping relation in separate operations respectively shown in -Figures l and 5.

rllhe brackets lupstandiiig from the rear side portions of the traine 10 as betere described alsov support the ifiilcruin 50 oit the animer 5l, the latter oit which has a 'tra sversely grooved head the groove oli' which is shaped to receive the dovetailed rib of hammer die whose lower iront portion is cutaway as indicated at 55 in Fig ure 7 in particular in order to properly lit the contour oi the .iinished link at the overlapping ends thereof. rllhis hammer has side trunnioiis 56 shown particularly in higil (i ure l extending into the lengthwise slotted lower portions 57 of the lower forked portion 5S of an actuating rod 59 which in its upward movement serves to elevate the forward headed end of the hammer arm, against the tension' of a spring 6() whose lower end is connected at 6l to the rear end of the hammer arm and whose upper end is supported by an inverted U-shaped frame 62 whose lower side port-ions are rigidly secured to the sides of the main frame l0. The bolt 6l extends through spaced rear extensions 63 of the hammer arm and is adapted for engagement by the upper end of a latch bar 64: whose lower end is connected to a shaft 65. To this shaft is also secured the rear end of a foot lever 66 having a foot piece 67 at its forward end in front of the frame l0 so that the operator may elevate the foot lever 66 and cause effective engagement of latch bar 6d with the hammer arm as in the position shown in Figure l, the actuating rod 59 of the hammer arm raising and lowering independent of the arm by virtue of its slotted extensions 57. y

After the link clamping members have been engaged with the link as previously described and shown in Figures l, e and 5, the depressible frame by which the actuating levers 26 are shifted may be locked in its lowermost position by virtue of a pivoted swinging latch 68 so that during subsequent bending operations previously described as well as during action of the hammer arm 5l, the link clamping members will be maintained in effective position as in Figures a and 5.

After the bending operations as previously described in connection with Figures t and 5 have been completed, and with both of the bending dies retracted as in Figure 3, the operator steps upon the foot piece 65 and through lever 66, shaft 65 is thus rocked and moves the latch rod 64; to free the hammer arm. The latter is then alternately pulled up by its actuating rod 59 and forced downwardly by the spring 60, its die 54- repeatedly engaging the overlapping ends t of the link A so as to gradually complete the weld. Operation of the hammer is permitted to continue until the weld is finished, during all of which time the link will be rigidly held in place upon the forming die ld. `When the operation is complete the operator simply lifts the foot piece 67 thus shifting the latch bar 66 so that when the hammer head 52 again raises, its lowered rear end will be engaged by the latch and effectively held in inactive position against the tension of spring 60 until in the formation of subsequent links its action again becomes necessary.

1t is obvious from the foregoing that my invention provides a comparatively simple machine of the present type and for the presentpurposes,` as well as one which is strong and durable and particularly effective in connection with the manufacture of heavy chain and it is also obvious that the invention is especially efiicient in the manufacture of chain where uniformity of the link is especially desired.

1 claim: n

1. ln a link welding machine, a link forming die adapted ,to receive a partially formed U-shaped link, means for bending the free ends of the link into overlapping relation, means for hammering the overlapped 2. In a link welding machine, a forming.

die adapted toy receive a partially formed U-shaped link, having an upstanding rib around which the free ends of the link may be bent, means working from opposite sides of the die adjacent to its forward portion to engage the rounded end of the partially formed link and securely hold'the same on the die, means working from opposite sides of the die adjacent to its rear portion to successively engage and bend the free ends of the link into overlapping relation, and means for hammering the overlapped ends of the link, said4 link holding means including a pair of link clamping members having upright arms pivoted at their lower ends at opposite sides of the die and having horizontal arms whose free ends are provided with lower recesses to receive and engage the rounded end of the link, springs for holding said clamping members in retracted position, levers engageable with said members to shift the same yto active position, and means to simultaneously actuate the levers including a U-shaped frame whose ends have connection with the levers and whose cross bar forms a foot piece as described.

3. 1n a link welding machine, a die adapted to receive a partially formed U-shaped link and having an upstanding portion around which the free ends of the link may be bent, means engageable with the rounded end of the link to hold the same on a die, and means working on opposite sides of the die and at convergent angles with respect to one another, for successively bending the free ends of the link into overlapping relation, including a pair of slide bars, bending dies hingedly connected to the inner adgacent ends ot' the slide bara-and means te control the yielding movement et the bending dies ivitlrrespect to the slide bars as the latter are shifted toward and into engagement with the free ends oi' the link.

e. ln a link Welding machine, adie adapted to receive a partially Jformed lei-shaped link and having an upstanding` portion around which the tree ends ot the link may be bent, means engageable with the rounded end ot the link to hold the same on a die, and means Working` on opposite sides ont the die and convergent angles. with respect to one another, 'for successively bending,` the :tree ends of the link into overlapping relation, includinga pair ot' slide bars, bending; dies hingedly connected to the inner adjacent ends ot the slide bars, and means to control the yielding` movement of the bending` dies with respect to the slide bars as the latter are shifted toward and into engagement with the free ents of the link, eac-h ot said bending dies having av recessed portion to receive its respective end of the link and one ot the dies having a portion which is interposed between the link ends as the latter are overlapped.

5. in link .Welding` machine, a die adapted to receive a partially formed lJ-shaped link andv having an upstanding portion around Which the free ends of the link may be bent, means engageable With the rounded end ot the link to hold the same on a die` and means Working` on opposite sides of' the die and at convergent angles with respect to one another, for successively bend ing the tree ends of the link into overlapping relation, including a pair of slide bars, bendingdies hingedly connected to the inner adjacent ends of the slide bars, and means to control the yielding` movement of the bending dies With respectto the slide este bars as the latter are shifted tovvarc and into engagement with the 'rree ends oil the link each ot said slide bars having an actuating lever7 connections between said actuatinn' levers, and means operable in connection with both o'i said levers for successively actuating the saine.

6. ln a link Welding machine, a pair ot bending dies, slide bars to which the said bending dies are hinged for movement toward and away torni one another in inclined relation, levers engaging the slide bars for shifting the same, me@ ror actuating` the levers7 and means for controlling yieldiupl movement ot the bending; dies en their hinges incli'ldinY slide rods pivotaliy connected at one end to the bending` lies adjacent to the tree ends oi the latter, pivoti ed tubular Igguifles into and ont ot which the opposite ends of the slide are shittable, and members adjustable on the slide rods and engageable ivi. h their guides to limit movement ot the slide rods in one direction.

7. ln a machine oi the character described, a pair oit slide bars movable toward and away from one anether in inclined relation, bendi dies liin'gedly connected vto th slide bars to move with the latter, means it controlling,` yielding` movement of the dies en their hing-es, a nair of levers iulcrunied intermediate th ends and pi".='otally connected at one end to the said slide bars, said levers havingI 'their opposite ends in spaced amn'oximately paralel relation,y a link connecting` the mentioned ends ot the levers, in actuatine' sha'l't extending between the last mentioned ends of the levers, and a cam on the shaft between and engaging the l st mentioned ends of the levers for sucssively actuating; the levers as described.

@Dl/YARD el. LYTEB. 

